People online are reeling over a viral video showing a mother being asked to deplane. In the clip, the mother and other passengers expressed concern over a long delay. This seemingly resulted in her and her sleeping children being kicked off the flight. Here is what we know about the situation, what happens when travelers are kicked off flights, and how to avoid being bumped.
Why Was The Mother Asked To Exit The Plane After Boarding?
@decemberdawn1 PLEASE SHARE! They kicked off not only this women and her kid but anther family and her kids too for asking questionsabout why our flight was delayed @flyfrontier @flyfrontierofficial ♬ original sound – December Sherman
The video was originally posted on March 13, 2022. TikTok user December Sherman (@decemberdawn1) captured the situation firsthand. A crew member can be seen asking the unidentified mother to talk to her off the plane, with no further explanation. It’s unclear if the woman urging the mother off the plane is a flight attendant, manager, gate agent, or security.
The worker continuously asked the mother to deplane and speak with her off of the aircraft despite the mother – who was in the window seat – emphasizing that her two children were seated and sleeping in the middle and aisle seats right beside her. The worker wouldn’t disclose why she wanted to speak with the mother privately, or what the conversation would be about.
Many social media users believed that the worker was trying to bump the mother and children off the flight. The mother refused to get up, while other passengers noted they had already waited through hours of delays. According to Sherman, the situation unfolded on a Frontier Airlines flight. In the video’s caption, the TikTok user said, “They kicked off not only this woman and her kid[s], but another family and her kids too for asking questions about why our flight was delayed.”
Some speculated the mother caused a commotion, despite her calm appearance in the video. Some speculated the airline made a mistake and asked the mother to deplane for someone else’s seat. Although the context is unknown, the situation has prompted further conversations about being booted from flights.
What Else Is There To Know About The Mother Who Was Kicked Of The Frontier Airlines Flight?
Information regarding how things played out after the video’s end is unclear.
Sherman was quoted in the New York Post saying that the mother “voiced her frustration but wasn’t rude at all.”
“Next thing I know, people step onto the plane and fill the open seats. And I was really confused by this,” the TikTok user recalled, assumably referencing what happened after the mother and children deplaned.
Why Incidents Like This Are Significant
While the full context is unclear, the video depicts a woman and her children seemingly being kicked off a plane because she consistently asked questions about the delay. If these types of repercussions are at the discretion of the flight and airline crew, travelers should take heed and know their rights.
Being booted off a flight can happen to any traveler, from the mother in the video to UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Travelers of color and other marginalized groups are not immune either. In 2024, American Airlines settled a discrimination lawsuit with three Black men — among eight Black men total — who were kicked off a flight for allegedly having “body odor.”
What Happens When You’re Kicked Off A Flight?
Being bumped and getting kicked off a flight are two different things. What happens after you’re removed from a flight depends on the reason and circumstances. The Federal Aviation Administration notes that flyers can be fined up to $37,000 per violation if they assault, threaten, intimidate, or interfere with airline crew members. Depending on the circumstances, you could also be arrested and face criminal punishment after being kicked off a flight. Airlines can also ban flyers over bad behavior.
What To Do If You’re Bumped Off A Flight
Bumping passengers is not illegal, and it usually happens when airlines oversell their seats. The carrier implements the practice to preemptively adjust for no-show passengers. Before involuntarily denying boarding, airlines must ask if anyone on the flight is willing to voluntarily give up their seat in exchange for compensation. Passengers can negotiate compensation, which may include money, vouchers, discounts, rebooking, transfers, hotel stays, or meals.
Know that some airlines have reputations for involuntarily bumping customers. For example, a September 2024 Upgraded Points study claimed that Frontier Airlines is the most likely to involuntarily deny boardings.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has established that race or ethnicity cannot be a criterion for selecting customers to involuntarily bump. Also, passengers can not be bumped off planes by crew after boarding unless there’s a valid reason. Flyers typically cannot be removed from an aircraft unless it is for security, safety, or health reasons. Per the governmental authority, air travelers may receive up to four times “the one-way value of the flight they were bumped from” by law, capped at $2,150. However, airlines can give more compensation if they want to. The amount flyers will receive will be based on several factors, including their plane ticket price and how long their travel is delayed. Airlines are required to offer your compensation “at the airport on the same day.”
If you are involuntarily bumped, you are eligible for compensation if the airline can’t get you to your destination within an hour of the arrival time for your original flight. However, for you to qualify, you must have a confirmed reservation for the original flight and have checked in and arrived at your gate on time.
Flyers who think airlines or crew have discriminated against them can press charges or sue.
How To Avoid Getting Bumped
While there’s nothing that’ll guarantee a carrier doesn’t bump you from an overbooked flight, there are things you can do to avoid being put in that situation. Be sure to meet the check-in deadline and get to the gate on time, regardless of the carrier. You can also avoid being involuntarily bumped by buying higher-class seats or having frequent flier status.
